NCCR North-South - Research Partnerships for Sustainable Development

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PAMS South America

Partnership Actions (PAMS) South America

Completed PAMS Projects

Transdisciplinary training for young peasant leaders in agroecology, food security and sovereignty and endogenous development in the Municipalities of Charazani and Independencia of BoliviaDuration: June 2011 to February 2013Executing Agencies: Agroecología Universidad Cochabamba (AGRUCO), Center for Postgraduate Studies in Ecology and Conservation of the Institute of Ecology of La Paz - UMSAPartners: CDEThe negative effects of global change are particularly visible in rural environments where agriculture is the main source of economic activity. This PAMS developed an undergraduate course to train young community leaders in sustainable endogenous development, in an effort to mitigate certain harmful impacts of global change. Experts from several universities supported the course, which took place in rural sites in the departements of La Paz and Cochabamba. The course emphasised mutual learning and exchange of traditional indigenous and academic knowledge, building on the NCCR North-South’s transdisciplinary approach.

Improving knowledge sharing between organic cocoa producers, their regional cooperative “PIAF-El Ceibo”, and related research projects for agricultural diversification in the Yungas, BoliviaDuration: April 2011 to May 2012Executing Agency: Fundación PIAF-El CeiboPartners: CDEResearch on diversified agroforestry systems identified organic cocoa production as a form of land use with very high potential for sustainability in the Bolivian Yungas. Several projects have aimed to enhance diversified organic cocoa production in this region, but producers’ participation was very low. This PAMS consisted of three parts: first, it organised and summarised the conclusions and recommendations of previous projects on sustainable land use in the region. Second, it launched a participatory pilot project with cocoa producers to diversify their farms with multipurpose tree species; a total of more than 60 different tree species (and over 10,000 trees) were planted on 105 farms, and a manual was compiled on multipurpose tree species. Third, research was conducted on organic cocoa farming’s influence on farmers’ livelihoods, their adaptation strategies, and their views of the future. The activities served as a pilot project for a similar but larger project (diversification of cocoa farms) involving approximately 1,000 families. The Swiss company CLARO will cover half of the project budget (roughly USD 180,000); another agency is being sought to finance the remainder.

Extractive industries and biosphere reserve management: a social learning and capacity building initiative on socio-ecological sustainabilityDuration: January 2009 to April 2010 Executing Agency:Instituto del Bien Común (IBC), LimaPartners: IHEIDOxapampa province of Peru is rapidly moving towards establishment of a biosphere reserve, and simultaneously facing unprecedented extractive industry exploration and development activities. Research revealed a lack of preparedness of local authorities and social stakeholders to face these new dynamics. In this PAMS, social stakeholders (local authorities, associations, public health officials, and indigenous federations) were strengthened in their ability to negotiate with extracting industries. Moreover, researchers and their local partners developed tools to monitor the negative impacts of extractive industries in the biosphere context.

Formulation of proposals on management of protected areas, biodiversity and natural resources as a contribution to the constituent assembly of Bolivia Duration: March 2007 to March 2008 Executing Agency:Agroecología Universidad Cochabamba (AGRUCO), CochabambaPartners: IHEIDThis PAMS project took an active role in the Constituent Assembly of Bolivia. It supported indigenous communities in the formulation of proposals for the sustainable management of natural resources, biodiversity and sustainable endogenous development. The PAMS offered permanent accompaniment, guidance and training for Assembly delegates. The proposals formulated by the indigenous communities were supported by scientific evidence. Most of the proposals presented to the Assembly today appear in the new constitutional text.

Support to local risk management in Bolivia Duration: January to December 2007 Executing Agency:Fundación La Paz (FLP), La Paz;Fundación para el Desarrollo Participativo Comunitario (FUNDEPCO), La PazPartners: IHEID; OXFAMDespite the threat of natural disasters, adequate risk management policies are rare at the local level in Bolivia. This PAMS aimed at improving local risk management by including civil society actors in governance processes. Strategies for risk management were developed in six rural communities. Together with residents, workshops were organised to create “vulnerability maps” illustrating the most important threats, risks, and vulnerable areas in each community. In addition, Emergency Operation Centres and contingency plans were established for each municipality, to coordinate the efforts of local and national authorities, armed forces, firefighters, and health services in the event of an emergency. These experiences led to important insights about the social and political processes related to risk management in Bolivia.Download Outcome Highlights (PDF / 1.27 MB)Download policy brief (Spanish / PDF 1.52 MB)